Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Maybe it's because I didn't expect much from BBQ in a New Mexico resort town, but the 2 joints I hit up in Ruidoso exceeded my expectations. The meats at Circle J Bar-B-Que are smoked out back with mesquite and, across the board, were quite good. The weak link was the brisket, which I found to be too dry. The turkey, sausage, and pork ribs were very moist; the sausage and ribs were the highlights. With the exception of the brisket, I would order everything again. I passed on the homemade rolls, but apparently they are a hit. Over at Can't Stop Smokin' (run by a smiling, long-haired, bearded, tie-dyed-t-shirt wearer; gotta love that), which cooks in the kitchen with a Southern Pride rotisserie cooker, the beef ribs stole the show. They were great, as was the sausage. Pork ribs and turkey weren't bad, but the brisket and boneless pork tips were completely dry. We liked the jalapeno cornbread. The pies smelled and looked awesome. We left with 4 slices of apple and a whole mixed berry, which hit the spot when we rolled into the house around midnight. Pics from both joints on the way.